


Bella Deserves Better

by Dogonaskateboard



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/F, F/M, Fix-It, LGBT, M/M, basically written to piss off smeyer lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:49:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25147252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dogonaskateboard/pseuds/Dogonaskateboard
Summary: When Bella tells Edward something surprising, their relationship and the whole Cullen family is turned upside down.
Relationships: Edward Cullen/Bella Swan, Jacob Black/Emmett Cullen, Rosalie Hale/Bella Swan
Comments: 25
Kudos: 149





	1. Chapter 1

I’d called him back to the meadow, the place where he’d first shown his true self to me. The clouds were thin in the sky, like taffy pulled to its breaking point. Edward seemed more confused than ever. I could tell just by the look on his face that he was doing mental backflips in his head, trying to figure out what I wanted to tell him. I was like a thrift store puzzle to him, he could never seem to find the last piece.   
I sat him down in the warm grass next to me, and we watched the bees and butterflies spiral over the grass and flowers. I took his hand in mine. “I would do anything for you, Bella. Whatever you want to tell me, I will be happy to listen.”  
“It’s just that…. No offense, but…” I screwed up my face in thought.  
“What?”  
“You’re… old.” I couldn’t help but chuckle, despite my nerves. “It’s a bit of a new age thing, at least to most people.”  
Edward’s eyebrows furrowed. “Did you get sucked into a cult?”  
“No, no!” I tried to take a deep breath. “Edward, do you promise to not be mad? To listen to everything I have to say?”  
“Of course.” He looked like a statue of a Roman soldier, alabaster and deeply intense in the afternoon sun.  
“Well,” I sighed, gathering my strength. “Edward… I’m trans.”  
He blinked a few times. “You’re what?”  
“I’ve known since I was child, but recently started transitioning a year before I came to Fforks.”  
He gazed off, thinking deeply. “What is a… tran?”  
Despite myself, I laughed. “Oh, you are an old man! Someone who is trans, or transgender, is someone who identifies as a gender other than the one given at birth.”  
“So you are becoming a man?” The poor guy looked like he was doing advanced math in his head.  
“No, no! I was assigned male at birth, but I am truly a woman, I promise.” I gave his hand a gentle squeeze, but he retracted his own to run his fingers through his hair. For someone who seemed to always have everything figured out, this was the first time I had ever seen Edward genuinely confused.  
“Does this make me gay?”  
“Oh, honey.” I looked up at him. “Isn’t it who I am now that matters? I’m a girl who loves a boy. That sounds pretty heterosexual to me.”  
“Um.” His eyes flicked back to me, then out into the trees. “I need time to think about this.”  
My heart dropped. “I understand.” I said, eyes stinging.  
“Let’s go back to the car,” He hauled me onto his back without looking at me.  
Throat dry, I could only reply, “Okay.”  
We ran back in silence. He drove me back in silence. I left the car in silence. Only once I shut my front door did I begin to sob.

I could hardly keep my thoughts straight enough to call Jacob, but I did and blubbered incomprehensibly for a while. When I finally got the words out about what happened, Jacob seemed to jump into his car and speed over from the reservation, all while on the phone. I only hung up when he knocked on the door.   
“Oh, Bella!” He pulled me into his famous world stopping hug. I felt safe.  
“Thanks for comin’ over,” I sniffled.   
“You’re basically my sister! Of course I’d come over.” He held me for another few seconds before gently placing me back on my feet. “Wanna go get ice cream? Burgers?”  
I made a pathetic, stuffy smile. “Could we go to La Porte? I want pad thai. I’ll throw in gas money.”   
“Don’t worry about it girl, let’s go!”  
On the ride there I told him about everything that happened. We trash talked Edward a bit (but not too hard, I still like him!), and then joked about tv shows we’ve watched. By the time we’d made it to the city I wasn’t so sad anymore. It was about three pm, so we had the cozy restaurant to ourselves.   
“I can’t believe he would treat you like that! What a douchehole.” Murmured Jacob, inspecting the menu. “Also, what is pad thai?”  
I laughed. “Edward isn’t a douchehole, he’s just confused. Also, it’s Thai stir fry. It’s got peanuts in it.”  
“Peanuts? More like, lil’ Eddie is about to get deez nuts.”  
“Oh my god, shut up.” I slapped him on the shoulder playfully. “You’re the worst.”  
“Just saying!”  
Sipping my coke, I rolled my eyes.  
Jacob did not shut up. “I mean, it’s 2008! Transphobia is cancelled.”  
“Yeah well, he was born before the invention of the radio. Hopefully he’ll turn around.”  
He raised his eyebrows. “He better.”  
We made our orders (Jacob just ordered what I did) and we goofed around in the city for a few hours, enjoying the spring warmth. Meanwhile, the Cullen house was in disarray.


	2. Edward Has A Temper Tantrum

I only learned of this a bit later from a patchwork of stories from various Cullens, but this is more or less how it happened. After dropping me off, Edward sped along some back roads to blow off steam and think before going back to the Cullen house.   
Jasper was the first person to notice, feeling Edward’s mood. “Is everything alright?” He thought, but Edward ignored him and moved towards the stairs. Before he could make it, Emmet stopped him. “Bro. What is happening.”  
Edward huffed in that sullen way he always liked to. “I don’t want to talk about it. Let me through.”   
Esme came in from cleaning the kitchen. “Is it Bella, dear? Is she alright?”  
“Bella is-” He grasped for words. “Not what I originally thought.”  
“Is she Mormon?” Jasper asked. Emmett high fived him.  
“What? No! She’s- he grasped his own perfect face in his hands. “She’s a HE. Bella is a man pretending to be a woman.”  
Rosalie looked down the second floor balcony at them. “She always was so poor at fashion! Figures.” she scoffed.  
“Rosalie Lillian!” Esme chided. “Everyone, let's sit down and talk about it. Whether he or she, Bella is a kind person who I doubt would make trouble.”  
With a very firm hand on his shoulder, Emmett guided Edward to the couch. Alice flitted out of the den to sit at Edward’s other side and put a hand on his. With all the ruckus, Carlisle was already out of his office and took his favorite recliner. The rest took the couch opposite them.   
Rosalie started, a smirk on her lips. “So, Bella…?”  
“Was born male, yes.” Said Edward through gritted teeth.   
“Huh.”  
Carlisle sat forward. “Well, Edward, as you know, she’s been my patient for all of her stay here in Forks. I maintain her hormone levels and adjust everything as needed. She’s a wonderful girl. Do not blame her for the circumstances of her birth.”  
He could easily read between the lines. “You knew? And you didn’t tell me?” Emmet kept a tree-trunk like arm on his shoulder.   
“Not my business to tell. I made an oath.” Carlilse looked innocently over at him.  
“Oh dear,” Fretted Alice, “I knew you wouldn’t take it well.”  
“Why are you all keeping this from me? What did I do to deserve this?” Edward cupped his head in his hands.  
Jasper knelt down in front of Edward and put a hand on his knee, providing a calming atmosphere. “Edward, we all love you, and I hate to say this, but I don’t think this is about you. Bella shared with you something really personal about herself in the same way you did about your vampirism. You showed yourself as the most fearsome creature on the planet, and she stayed. This is just a drop in the bucket. Whether Bella is a girl or a boy or whatever, why don’t you just try to remain calm and talk it through with her? You both love each other. Don’t let this get in the way.”  
Edward sighed. Unfortunately, Jasper was right. He had spent months and months of intense, searing pain just to be close to her. He didn’t want to throw it away. “But what if she has a penis?”  
Alice patted him brightly on the hand. “Don’t be silly! You already have one, right? So you know what to do with it.”   
Ed felt deflated. “I wish I could drink.”


	3. A Joint And A Confession

“Do you wanna go home?” Jacob asked, slowing down to match the in-town speed limit.   
I sighed. “Not really. Being home by myself doesn’t sound so good right now.” Charlie was on a night shift. The sky had drawn into a deep, perfect blue.   
“How about you leave a note at the house and we can have a lil’ party… at the rez’.” He paused dramatically, smirking at me like it was some little secret. “My older cousin gave me a six pack of BLs and a gram for fixing his car.”  
I thought about how much Edward would dislike that. I smirked back at him. “Charlie thinks you’re suuuch a nice boy, always loves it when I spend time with you. You know that right?”  
Jacob grinned. “What can I say? I’m like the pope!”  
“Oh yeah. Real pious and pure.”  
“You can bounce a quarter off these morals, baby. I’m like two popes in a trench coat.”  
I snorted. “Muppet man style? Or two scuttling together side by side?”  
“Both! Three popes in a human pyramid.”  
I squinted at him. “Good lord, you’re not even high yet. I worry for the future!”  
Slowing to a stop in front of my house, he gave me a wink. “Just a hint of the fun to come.”  
I ran inside, gathered up an extra pair of clothes, toothbrush, deodorant, and scribbled out a note to place on the door. “Went to spend the night at Jacob’s place. Will be back early tomorrow afternoon.” Below it, I drew a little lasagna. It was an inside joke between me and dad.  
Slapping the note on the door, I rushed back into the car. “Ready!” I declared cheerfully.  
He drove with a cheerful reckless abandon, having memorized every road long before he formally had a license. The darkness on every side greeted us with the boundless potential of fun. After a few minutes of dirt road and petty banter, we made our way to the reservation, and eventually Jacobs house. The bare wood clapboard sides hadn’t changed since the house was built, and a warm light hung lit over the splintered porch. Upon it sat Billy, kind features edged with golden light. “Billy!” I grinned. “It’s been too long, huh?”  
“Almost a month, I reckon! What’s kept you away so long?” He took a drag of his cigarette.  
I thought of Edward, and grimaced. “I’ve been busy with homework, unfortunately.”  
“That boy Edward treating you right?” The man had a way of always seeing through me like a sheet of rice paper.  
I grimaced. “How did you guess?”  
Billy made a wheezy, knowing laugh. “I know things, girly. It seems like you can spend time with my boy all you like, But can only come on the rez’ when you’ve had a fight with your boyfriend.”  
“Dad! Stop giving Bella a hard time! She’s had a rough day.” Jacob opened the screen door and invited me though.  
I tried to hide my even paler than normal face and scurried inside. “Talk to you later, Billy!”  
Billy just smiled and waved.   
“Sorry about that, Dad can be such a turd sometimes.” Jacob fussed about the trash and underwear on his floor, (as if I hadn’t already seen it), as I sat on his bed. As a kid, we had wrestled around and made dirt soup. I clearly remember him trying to eat it more than once. In the ten years between, he hadn’t changed a bit. I always appreciated it. He brought out the fun in me.  
“How about we start out with a beer or two, and then go smoke in the backyard? I can throw on Kung Fu Hustle in the meantime.”  
“Sounds great to me!”  
Jacob pulled two beers out of the mini fridge next to his bed and handed me one. I inspected with joking intensity. “Is this a twist top? Or the pop top kind?”  
“If you believe in yourself, it doesn’t matter.” He pulled it out of my hands and popped the cap off with his teeth.  
“Ew! Bad! I’m throwing you in the trash now. Bad.” I smacked him on the shoulder.  
“Do you fear my power?” He said, stifling giggles.  
“I fear how many of your teeth are going to fall out. Gimme my damn beer.”  
Jacob smugly handed it back, hopping off the bed to throw Kung Fu Hustle into the DVD player. I tried my best to tolerate the beer.  
After he had two beers and I had one, we decided to go out into the backyard and smoke. The hair held a spring coolness around us. Just enough warmth for a summer-like layabout in the yard.  
Jacob pulled a ratty plastic bag out of his jacket pocket and gave me a smirk. “You ready for the sticky icky?”  
“What if we get caught? Won’t Billy beat your ass?” I smirked.   
“Don’t worry! As long as it’s a weekend and it’s on the property, dad doesn’t care what I do.”  
“You lucky duck. Some of us around here have a cop for a dad.”  
“That’s why you’re on the rez’!” He cheered, words echoing against the trees. Thank god he had no close neighbors.   
“All right, all right. Light the joint, you goober.”  
He lit it, hit it, and passed it to me. Tried my best to take a gracious puff without hacking up a lung. After a moment, I started to drift warmly, but Jacob seemed to sit restlessly.  
“What’s up?” I asked.  
“Eh, I didn’t really wanna spring you with something after the day you’ve had, but somethin’s been weighing on my mind recently.”  
“Oh?” Honestly, I would have loved to think about anything besides my shitty situation. “Don’t worry about it. I’m always happy to listen.”  
Scratching his head sheepishly, Jacob struggled to even start. “Well, I- I think I have a crush on somebody, but it’s kind of a weird situation.”  
I clapped my hands in delight like a little kid. “Oh my god! Who is it?? Tell me!”  
“Promise not to freak out, okay?”  
“I promise. Unless you guys are related.”  
That seemed to break his nervous tension. He laughed. “No! Quite the opposite. You see, um… it’s a guy. That you know.”  
I raised an eyebrow, trying my best to maintain my composure. “You like guys? Like, are you bi or gay now?”  
“Bi, probably. Tiddies are dope. But I don’t care if this guy has tiddies or not, Bella. I like him.”  
I smiled encouragingly. “That’s really sweet! Who is it?”  
“Well, um. Emmett. Your boyfriend’s brother.”  
I blinked, maybe for a moment too long because Jacob added, “I’m not gonna go for it, of course! That would be really stupid.”  
“Aren’t vampires and werewolves supposed to, like, hate each other?”  
“Yeah, I guess, but- just think about it! We’re like…. Romeo and Juliet.”  
“Oh, yeah? You wanna go after a Montague, Juliet?” I punched him in the shoulder playfully. “I am a human dating a vampire, after all. Love can find a way. It’s not as impossible as it seems. One big problem you may have, however, is one Rosalie Hale. She is unbelievably territorial over her family members. Even if they broke up last year, who knows what she might try and do to you.”  
“Yeah, I just don’t know how I can compete with her at all. I don’t got boobs, or brain smarts, or vampire powers-”  
“What do you have, then?”  
“A knife!” He joyfully flipped out his pocket knife and stabbed the air like a fencer. “Also, I could probably fix his car if it broke down.”  
I patted him on the hand. “What does it hurt to try? Emmett may be bi. He never struck me that way, but neither did you. Anything can happen!”   
Me grinned, pulling me into a big hug. “Aww, thanks Bella!”  
I tried to stay optimistic. For him, at least.


	4. Rosalie has things to say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella meets up with Rosalie for a surprising heart to heart.

I ended up asking Jacob to drop me off at home so I could shower and look a bit more presentable. I gave Charlie a few short stock answers about hanging out with friends, and ran out to my truck as soon as possible. Its warm leather interior was like home to me; much of the anxiety I’d felt over the past day washed away. I started her up and made my way to Old Diner.

Like most restaurants at four PM, it was mercifully empty, besides a single astonishingly beautiful woman. Rosalie was different from most people I’d ever met. She got to the point, said what she meant, and left little up to interpretation. I really appreciated that about her. Sometimes Edward felt like a cloud of bitten tongues and unspoken words. Rosalie cut the bullshit like a golden sword. I sat down across from her and tried my friendliest smile. “Hey.”

“Hello there.” She took her cup of coffee and barely touched it to her lips.Rosalie didn’t seem very ready to say anything, and I didn’t either, so I flipped through the menu. After I ordered a burger, she finally spoke. “So… I have googled transgender.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” 

“I won’t lie and say I completely understand what you’re going through or anything, but I think we have more in common than I’d thought.”

I blinked. “Did Google tell you that trans people drink blood?”

She laughed. “No, no! Not like that at all. Obviously you are human, cisgender or no. What I’m meaning to say is,” Looking up above my head, I felt her mood shift ever so slightly. “Ever since I was just a girl, I dreamed of starting a family and having children. That dream was taken away from me, but you never even had it in the first place. What I’m trying to say is that I feel for you.”

I was at a loss for words. Rosalie had never, ever, opened up to me like that. She’d never even given a hint that she liked me. Personally, I tried not to even think about children in the first place. It was like trying to find water in the desert. Near impossible, and full of despair. “Wow, Rosalie. Thank you.” I’d never even considered I had something in common with her.

Smirking bitterly, she stared out the window. “Please forgive my brother. He’s a moron, not to mention decrepit and old.”

Despite the pang in my heart I felt when I heard his name, I laughed. “I’m trying not to take it too personally. Gender things are kind of difficult for most people to wrap their heads around.”

The steely intensity in her eyes never wavered. “No, Bella, I mean it. No man should ever treat the woman they love like this. First the dramatic breakup and trip to Italy, and now this? He’s been at home steaming ever since. You deserve better.” She flipped her hair matter-of-factly. “If he does anything less than fervently apologize, you have my full permission to dump him. Might teach him a lesson or two.”

Without even thinking, my throat felt tight. I knew things looked a bit bleak right now, but break up? Trying to shake off tears, I said. “No. No. Rosalie, I love him. I’m not breaking up. We can fix this. I know- I know that it took me far too long to tell him something like this, and now I’m paying the price.”

She sniffed indignantly. “Don’t blame yourself. It took a lot of courage to expose something so deeply personal, and Edward should be thankful. He’s no typical man, anyways. Why should he be so invested in having a typical woman?” She slid her hand, warmed by her coffee cup, over my own. Only then did I realize I was shaking. “You’re perfectly fine the way you are. Despite having a baffling attraction to vampires and trouble, that is.” Rosalie smirked.

“You’re a lot nicer than you look, you know that?” I used my free hand to wipe a stray tear from my cheek.

She laughed like a talk show host. It just seemed to be her way. “Why, thank you. Funny you should say that, I get it a lot.”

For the first time, Rosalie felt like my sister. “So, what do I do now?”

“Get a haircut? I’m a bit extreme when scorned, so I may not have the best advice on this, but a makeover never hurts.”  
I  
gasped. “I have an idea! Have you ever dyed your hair before? We could do it together.”

“I haven’t. I’m not even sure if it could work on my hair, but it’s worth a shot, I suppose.” She made a pregnant pause, and then her phone rang. “I figured Alice would want to join.” 

Grinning, I said, “Pick it up! A girl’s night is totally in order. You two can come over, Charlie won’t mind. I think he wants me to have more girlfriends.”

“Surely we can pick up some hair dye at the store, right?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got all sorts of dyes at home.” Yet another thing Edward had never approved of. In the flurry of emotions I’d completely forgotten about my food, and chowed down gleefully when it arrived. 

“Everything’s set up, I suppose.” She pretended to sip her coffee again as the waitress passed by. “I’m excited. My home can be a bit of a boy’s club at times.”

“I’ll need to go home by myself for a bit to clean up, but then we can meet back up again. How does 6 pm sound?”

“Sounds like a date.”

I choked on my pancakes, and Rosalie let out a cruel laugh. “Just kidding! Now be careful. Your eating tube is next to your breathing tube, you know.”

With little grace, I swallowed and glared at her. “Yeah, I learned that in middle school.”

“You’re funny. 6 o’clock, don’t forget.” She laid down enough cash for our food and drinks, with a hefty tip to spare. Striding out of the diner, I noticed her legs. Wow, human girls just can’t compare, huh?


End file.
